By Shay Greenwood
As the summer draws to a close, my mind is on all things school. The one thorn in my flesh is my son’s messy bedroom closet and overloaded bedroom drawers. Anyone else feel me?
Here are three tips to help you clean out those closets and get your kids’ clothes organized for the new school year.
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- Purge and declutter
Before you can even think about organizing, you need to get rid of anything that’s no longer wearable. Go through each item in your child’s closet and sort it into three piles: keep, donate/sell, and discard. Be ruthless: If it’s stained, torn, or hasn’t been worn in a year, it’s time to let it go. Consider hosting a yard sale or selling gently used items online to make some extra cash for new school clothes.
Get the kids involved: Have them help sort clothes into piles and decide what they want to keep or donate. You can even let them be in charge of running the yard sale or online sale!
- Categorize and group
Once you’ve purged your child’s closet, it’s time to organize what’s left. Sort clothes into categories like tops, bottoms, dresses, and outerwear. Within each category, group similar items together (e.g. all T-shirts, all jeans). This makes it easy to see what you have and what you need to buy. Use storage bins or baskets to keep items like socks, underwear and accessories organized and out of sight.
Get the kids involved: Have them help categorize and group clothes, and let them pick out the storage bins or baskets they like best.
- Utilize vertical space
Maximize your child’s closet space by using stackable shelves or hanging rods with multiple levels. This will help keep clothes off the floor and make the most of your closet’s vertical space. Consider installing shelves or hooks for items like backpacks, lunchboxes, and extra shoes. And don’t forget to use the back of the door: Over-the-door storage racks or hooks are perfect for hanging jackets, hats, or bags.
Get the kids involved: Have them help measure the closet space and decide where to install shelves or hooks. They can even help hang up clothes and organize their backpacks and lunchboxes.
- Purge and declutter
Following these three tips while also getting your kids involved, you’ll be able to tackle that daunting closet and get your kids’ clothes organized in no time. Happy cleaning out and happy new school year!
Shay Greenwood is a wife, mom and mentor who loves helping women be their best selves! Follow her on Facebook and Instagram @shaygreenwood.